A small, bald rat missing a toe stirred awake from its sleep.
This time, it wasn't waking up inside a school uniform pocket or beside a bed pillow.
When it opened its eyes, the face before it wasn't the one topped with Weasley-red hair either.
"You're awake, Scabbers. Heh~"
"!"
Scabbers's eyes widened instantly as it stared at the handsome young man—who was also gazing back at it with deep, dark eyes.
"Squeak, squeak—"
Scabbers looked around nervously, realizing the space was vast and empty. It lay on a smooth, silver-white metal platform.
The black vortices in Lucien's eyes slowly spun as he observed the rat, which was anxiously rubbing its front paws together.
Hmm. Even with the Eye of Peering Magic, no magic circuits are visible.
So this was the power of an Animagus? Curious~
When transformed into an animal, one could completely conceal their magical nature, making detection nearly impossible.
Perhaps certain actions or stimuli were needed to reveal the hidden circuits.
Lucien focused his magic, urging the Eye of Peering Magic to its full capacity. The vortices in his pupils suddenly began to spin faster.
Sensing that something was wrong, Scabbers glanced at Lucien, who was staring at it without moving.
Panicking, it began to scurry away on its four short legs.
However, Lucien waved his wand, and a glowing barrier rose around the metal platform, cutting off all escape routes.
Scabbers froze. It recognized the young wizard before it—Ron's classmate and friend, someone it had first seen on the train.
Back then… Scabbers remembered feeling uneasy about this boy, sensing something was off. It hadn't wanted to get too close.
But it had never expected that after a normal night's sleep, it would wake up in Lucien's hands.
Looking around helplessly, Scabbers began acting like an ordinary rat, trying to appear calm.
After all, Lucien hadn't done anything to it yet. Scabbers guessed that Ron must have lent it to him for a few days and that he would soon ask for it back.
But just as Scabbers was about to crawl into a corner to continue sleeping, Lucien cast a Levitation Charm, lifting it into the air.
Lucien frowned slightly as he studied the struggling rat.
Even under the influence of magic, no trace of a magic circuit appeared.
He had fully activated the Eye of Peering Magic, yet he still couldn't detect even the faintest flow of magic.
Are all Animagi like this, or is Peter Pettigrew an exception?
After all, he was an Animagus who had maintained his disguise for over a decade—likely the longest anyone had ever stayed in animal form.
Heh, how could a normal person stand living as an animal, a small rat, for so many years?
In that sense, Peter Pettigrew was indeed "brave."
Could cowardice, when faced with death, truly transform into a desperate kind of courage to survive?
Perhaps a sudden "shock" or stimulus could force an Animagus to lose control of their transformation, revealing their hidden magic circuits.
If that didn't work, he would have to consult Professor McGonagall about the issue of magic in Animagus form.
If only she could transform into a tabby cat in front of him—then he could examine her magic circuits directly.
But that would be far too forward.
"Professor, could you turn into a cat for me?"
Yes, not exactly the most appropriate request. Observing Peter Pettigrew—Scabbers—was far more convenient.
Lucien placed Scabbers back on the platform and set out some snacks for it.
Scabbers hesitated for a moment but quickly realized that a rat refusing food would seem suspicious.
So, it picked up a biscuit and began to gnaw on it.
As Lucien observed Scabbers's ordinary movements, he still couldn't detect any trace of magic.
Zzt—!!
A small electric arc suddenly shot from the tip of his wand toward Scabbers.
"Squeak!"
Scabbers leapt into the air, the shock not painful but enough to startle it badly.
It looked around nervously, then pretended to glance at Lucien as if nothing had happened.
That single glance, however, sent a chill down its spine.
Because the young man was smiling.
Scabbers's heart skipped a beat. Was this some kind of maniac who enjoyed tormenting small animals?
What sort of friends had Ron made!
Lucien had seen it—through those eyes, he had caught it—that fleeting surge of magic, that brief flash of the hidden magic circuit.
Hmm, so a sudden burst of magical energy could cause the circuits to appear momentarily.
But it was too fast—gone almost instantly.
If he applied a continuous flow of magic, would it prolong the visibility of the circuit?
Scabbers suddenly felt a chill run through its body, an uneasy sense that something dangerous was about to happen…
An hour later.
Lucien stepped out of the gourd space.
"The results aren't bad. At this rate, it should be completed within half a month at most," he murmured.
"To detect and record the hidden magic circuits of an Animagus...."
A faint golden figure appeared beside him.
"Lumen, you're back."
"How was your talk with Newt Scamander?"
Lucien spoke to the cute Qilin as he removed the small satchel hanging around its neck.
From inside, he took out a reply letter and two books—two copies of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
They were the regular editions sold in bookstores, but when he opened one, the first page bore Newt Scamander's signature.
"Hmm, the signed books are ready—looks like the prize for this term's final exams is settled."
"Harry and the others should study harder," Lucien said, slipping the books into his pocket before turning to the little Qilin.
"Lumen, have you grown a bit bigger again?"
The young Qilin, still in its growth stage, was indeed growing quickly—its size increased almost every month.
"Perhaps, Master," Lumen replied softly. "But since I can change my size, it's not very noticeable…"
Lucien chuckled and spent a few moments playing with Lumen before heading toward the edge of the hunting grounds.
He had arranged to have dinner with Hagrid and the others at the hut that evening.
However, as he approached, he spotted a suspicious figure lurking near the cabin.
Had Fang and White Fang (The alchemical dog) gone out for a walk again?
He didn't hear any barking to signal an intruder.
A boy with slicked-back, pale blond hair was pacing nervously in front of the hut, a box tucked under his arm.
"I've checked the library, asked around Ravenclaw, and they said he wasn't in the common room. No classes today either, so he's probably here…"
"Is something wrong, Malfoy?"
Startled by the sudden voice behind him, Malfoy clutched the box tightly to his chest.
"Ah—it's you, Lucien."
Lucien looked at the large box in Malfoy's arms, puzzled as to why he was here.
The timing didn't seem right. Malfoy discovering and reporting Hagrid for hatching a dragon egg shouldn't happen until after Christmas.
Right now, it was only around the time of the Quidditch match.
"Th-that…"
Malfoy stammered for a while before finally thrusting the box toward Lucien, turning his face away.
"I—I came to apologize to you."
"I shouldn't have said before that you weren't qualified to speak about pure-bloods, and I shouldn't have insulted your background…"
His voice grew softer and softer, but remembering his father's words, he forced himself to continue.
"This is—this is my apology gift."
"Oh?" Lucien quirked his brow.
"You, um… will you accept it?"
Hearing Malfoy stammer in a way that almost rivaled Professor Quirrell's, Lucien could barely suppress a laugh.
After all, they were still children—how many could apologize so earnestly?
However… this didn't seem like something Malfoy would normally do, at least not this soon.
Hmm, could someone be behind this?
Heh, if Malfoy were a bit more honest and humble, a little less arrogant, perhaps he might have already become friends with Harry—the person he both admired and resented the most.
In the blink of an eye, black vortexes appeared in Lucien's pupils.
He activated the Eye of Peering Magic, focusing on Malfoy and the box in his hands.
Oh—such a strong magical reaction. But it wasn't alive. It felt like…
Lucien quickly sifted through his memories, recalling the patterns he'd observed through the Eye of Peering Magic.
Yes, it was very similar to the dragon heartstring he had once received from Snape—Both emitted a faint, burning aura.
Hmm… and there was more than one cluster of it.
________
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